Paradise lost..almost

Paradise Lost almost! is a report on the Western Ghats written by
Sudhirendar Sharma. The report follows the trail of destruction in the ghats
and engages with those who have been engaged in the task of reversing the dominant trend. An IN-PICTURES
feature.

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The mountains, gorges and slopes of the Western Ghats continue to be among the
world's biodiversity hotspots despite unprecedented ecological decline. Of
India's 15,000 plant species there are 4,050 plants found in 17,000 sq.kms strip
of forests in these ghats. There are 121 species of frogs and toads, 508 bird
species, six types of turtles and terrapins, 87 species of snakes, 63 types of
lizards and a variety of large mammals such as elephants, wild bisons, black
panthers and leopards.

Watershed forests

The Western Ghats are the major watersheds for the important southern rivers such as
Kavery, Nethravathi, Sharavathi and Tungabhadra. Population increase, political
apathy, big hydel projects and lack of environmental consciousness are
contributing to their degradation. Conservation of these forests is vital to
meet local needs as well as national aspirations of keeping the river flow
intact. Towards this goal the work of reviving the small streams and river
catchments and restoring them with tree cover to ensure sustained flow in the
rivers is a must.

Diagnosing development

Despite deep-rooted ecosystems and cultural diversity across the Western Ghats,
the menu of developmental interventions has been on predictable lines. Although
several initiatives have proven successful at grassroots level, the same havent
contributed to alter the big picture of destruction. There is an immediate need
to rewrite the ecological idiom and enlarge the scope of engagement in making a
renewed case for the Western Ghats.

This picture feature is based on the information in 'Paradise Lost almost!' on
Western Ghats written by Dr Sudhirendar Sharma. The report was commissioned by Prakruti under
a grant from The Netherland Committee for IUCN to assess and analyse the status of civil society
actions in light of the emerging challenges and to suggest strategic actions to bring Western
Ghats into the mainstream of policy and planning processes.

The report has been published by
Prakruti, Hulemalgi Brothers, Chowkimath, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada - 581401,
Karnataka.

Sudhirendar Sharma28 August 2007

Sudhirendar Sharma is a water expert and Director of the Delhi-based Ecological Foundation.